Kerry Collins Gives World a New Window into the Value of Peyton Manning

NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 09: Kerry Collins #5 of the Tennessee Titans throws the ball against the Indianapolis Colts during the NFL game at LP Field on December 9, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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The Indianapolis Colts have decided to bring quarterback Kerry Collins out of retirement. The decision strongly indicates that the organization is not sure if super star Peyton Manning can fully recover from his neck injury in time for the beginning of the regular season.

Although the decision was almost unanimous, many people feel that Chris Johnson should have won the league MVP in 2009, instead of Manning, when he rushed for more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage.

However, when you have a look at what the Indianapolis Colts look like without Peyton Manning, it almost looks like the MVP title should be renamed the Peyton Manning Award.

The final result in preseason games isn’t really that important. What’s important with preseason games is that they allow the teams to get match fit. It’s the same in all sports—practice can only get you so far. The best practice is actually to play games.

Therefore, teams are generally not too concerned with preseason games. It’s mostly to get in shape after all, but for the Indianapolis Colts, there’s a whole different sense of concern tied to this year’s preseason games.

Colts backup quarterback Curtis Painter has been taking the reps with the first string offense during this preseason since Peyton Manning is healing a nerve in his neck.

Will the World see Peyton Manning differently if Kerry Collins plays well for the Colts?

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Will the World see Peyton Manning differently if Kerry Collins plays well for the Colts?

Yes

26.1%

No

73.9%

Total votes: 69

Last game, Curtis Painter and the rest of the first string offense failed to move past its own 29-yard line despite playing the entire first half of the game. Obviously, that raised a lot of concern within the organization and led the team to acquiring Kerry Collins.

Contrary to Curtis Painter, Kerry Collins has a lot of game experience. The two-time Pro Bowler is considered to be a huge upgrade over Painter even at the age of 38.

Now that the Colts actually have more than one decent quarterback on its roster it is possible that the world will actually get to see just how valuable Peyton Manning is.

It is undeniable that Peyton Manning in his prime was one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Despite having a subpar season in 2010—by his standards, of course—Peyton Manning still put up good numbers.

The question many people are asking is how important is Peyton Manning really? If Manning misses several games this season, and Kerry Collins actually does well—will that mean that other veteran quarterbacks would do just as well with the talent that the Colts offense actually consists of?

And will that change how we see Peyton Manning? If other quarterbacks can have similar success to what Manning has experienced in Indianapolis, how will that impact his legacy?

Kerry Collins will have to answer a question too: Can he still play at high level? The one thing that is certain is that if he can play at a high level, his performance will open a new window into the true value of Peyton Manning.